Heirlooms '68 F250 - 2500 miles later.....

[Heirloom]

Great thread Heirloom, I too have a 68 F250 (260/300?, 4sp). I was wondering, how difficult was it to put the bench in? Mine is also dilapidated and a 90's bench would be great. Keep up the posts and good luck.

Vic

Hi Vic! Thank you! The seat was super easy. You can get any bench from any F series truck up to '96. You remove the tracks from the 'new' bench, drill the 4 threaded holes out that you just pulled the track off of, then bolt your 'old' track to it. You need to drill out those holes because your 'old' tracks have studs affixed to them vs. the 'new' ones which have a bolt that threads into the seat bottom. All the holes line up!

EDIT: A small tip....look in the back of the crew cabs. MANY (not all) back benches are the same as the front and you can usually find a GREAT back seat that has far fewer 'butt miles' than the front.

[Heirloom]

I received my orders on Monday. First thing I did was check out everything and make sure all parts were accounted for and in good shape.

Then I tore into the Holley to find what mysteries it contained.....

Note that you can always tell the caliber of mechanic who rebuilt a carb. If all the screw heads are in good shape and nothing is over tight, you are probably lucky. I got a good one.

So, since there is an abundance of Holley rebuild articles out there, I will save me the time and simply say that the first step to rebuilding a carb is to turn it from this....





To this.....







I've decided to convert to 4150 (Sec. metering block & jets), convert to manual choke, keep the side hung bowls with brass floats, install the power valve saver, install a secondary diaphragm spring quick change kit, and convert to the 50cc accel pump reservoir. All I need is a regular rebuild kit, power valve saver and the quick change cover. Adding it all up it looks like I will spend about $150 total on the carb when all done. That doesn't include the full cost of the jet assortment kit or secondary spring kit. If someone didn't have the spare parts I had available, you can still do the same thing for about $200-$250 depending on how much you spend buying a core carb.

[Heirloom]

Oh, to clarify, there were no mysteries found in the carb. Usually carbs are good for at least one "WTF?". Mine might never have been rebuilt, it was straight up factory spec and the torque on everything was super even and perfect. It most likely would have ran fine for a while as is!

Plus.....recently acquired parts:

BB C6
Power steering box...yep, I'm converting
PS bracket (water pump/head part only though )

Pics coming this weekend.

[mcheath]

Impressive work. You are really doing a great job. Looking forward to seeing how it all runs.

[Heirloom]

I said there would be pics over the weekend, and there were none. Sorry. Not much going on with the 68 this last week. However, I did start mocking up to check piston/valve clearance and ran across an issue.

The brand new Summit timing set has a ridiculous amount of slop in it. 7/16" is totally unacceptable. Had the block been align bored it would make sense. But since the center spacing is dead nuts on at 5.044", I can only assume that Summit is sourcing cheap off shore chains.

STAY AWAY FROM SUMMIT TIMING SETS OR REPLACE THE CHAIN...at least for the 335 series motors.

I'm sending it back and having a Cloyes True Street Double roller set sent.






Also, as a side note, I just started a resurrection/finish of my neighbors 1973 Gran Torino Sport. 7 or 8 years ago he had the original 400 rebuilt. He's sort of a knucklehead, obviously....not finishing it when it was so close. He simply told them he wanted 400-500 HP. They built it, he installed it and that was about it.

My current contract is to get it running, broke in and get the drive train operating. I pulled the intake to see what I could see, expecting the worst. But it was all clean and all the intake valves were shiny. Since he is a tight wad he decided to stop there and go ahead and finish it, turn the key and pray.

After looking it over I gave him a list of parts, numbers and prices. 5 days later (today) he brought me all the parts on the list. He also gave me cash for a carb I had been watching on Ebay, a couple clicks later and his Holley is on the way. So since this is a paying gig, it takes precedence over the 68. Here are a couple pics right after it was delivered to me.







Here are side by side comparison pics of his (discontinued) Edelbrock SP2P 400 manifold and my Performer 400 EGR. Look at the port difference!! The SP2P will be good for torque, but not so good for getting to 4-500HP. I suspect it will fall flat on it's face around 4-4500 RPM. He's going to run it for now, but I explained that to reach his HP aspirations a different manifold would be necessary.





After getting it running he's talking about having me do interior work and other stuff before he gets the body done. Project moneys!!

[Heirloom]

Impressive work. You are really doing a great job. Looking forward to seeing how it all runs.

Thank you, you too!!

[Heirloom]

Quick Update:

My M block is at the machinist getting cleaned, honed, decked .020, cam bearings installed/sized and having the water nipple replaced. I expect it back in about a week. 85% of my carb parts are in hand so assembly should be soon. Over the weekend I finally ordered the last little bits.... brass floats and pri/sec jets to start with (68 pri/72 sec). The Summit timing set is in the mail back to Nevada and my Cloyes set is on it's way.

Today I decided to take the 68 out for some errands. Post office and parts stores. When I got to the post office I turned the key to shut it down, and it kept running. That was the third time it had done that. A 4th gear clutch pop and it's dead. When I got back in it fired right up......and kept trying to start. Ugh...you know the noise. So I shut it down, the engine died, but it kept cranking. I hopped out, popped the hood and tore that battery cable off! Crap! I took the ignition switch out, thinking that was the issue. I called for back up then sat and waited. Then it dawned on me that I was not done trouble shooting. I had NO tools, at least none that are conventional. But if I hook the battery back up surely it should not turn over when I hook the battery back up....right? WRONG! With the ignition switch in my pocket I hooked that cable back up and it instantly started cranking. CRUD! The solenoid. Well, I had no tools, but I did have a 'hood stick'. One good WHACK!! and it was all better. Reinstalled the ignition switch and drove it home. That was plenty adventure for the day. Swapped cars and added a solenoid to my parts run.

Just another thing with that old Ford.

Tomorrow The Gran Torino comes to life. The carb should be delivered in the afternoon and shortly there after it will be running!

[Heirloom]

Hello All! It's Spring time and a lot is happening here! I have had to divert attention to creating an enclosure/habitat for my two new pigs. Yep, makin' bacon.

Updates on the '68:

I have all the parts to build the carb. But since my bench isn't in 'clean' mode at the moment, it will wait until I am in clean assembly mode.

I got my block back this week. I had it decked .020, honed, cleaned, cam bearings installed & water heater tube insert replaced. I am trying out Arce Engines in El Cajon, CA. They are not the cheapest shop, but they do good work, so far. I went there on a recommendation from a friend. I have had problems with accuracy, doing what I ASK, not what they assume, and most annoying....dropping valve guides.....with other shops in my area.







This is where the budget part of this build really takes off....I can't pay to have a lot of 'nickle & dime' machining/massaging etc. So I am doing a lot myself. It saves money, but costs time. So over the next several weeks as time permits I will be grinding, sanding, cleaning etc. Makes for a slow project thread, sorry.

With the block back home I can go over it. Some things I will be doing are knocking down casting ridges to relieve potential crack sites and potential knuckle openers later when working on or around it. I have big hands so taking sharp edges away now pays off later. I'll chase all the threads, hone the lifter bores & clean up all the water and oil passages. Then I'll clean it thoroughly, mask and paint it.

[Heirloom]

Many Thanks to my Dad who donated several carbide cutters to the cause. That saved me quite a bit of dough!


So lets look at these cylinder heads of mine. 1975 castings of the "Cleveland" head. They are 2v (meaning two barrel carb) casting with the 'hump' in the exhaust port. Open chamber design with 2.04/1.65 valves. Of the open chamber heads, these are the smallest volume at 74.5cc.

Most people will tell you not to bother with these heads. "Buy the cheapest set of Aluminum aftermarket heads and you're dollars and HP ahead" they say. And the open chamber design is crud, it's prone to detonation. Really? Fully assembled ready to go you're looking at 2k or more. When it's all said and done these heads will match most (not all) comparable out of the box alloy heads in flow, and I will have right around $1350 into them. That's with 16 all new stainless 2.08/1.70 valves (yes, I'm spec'ing larger valves, but NOT the 2.19/1.71's) , guides and seats, machine work etc....oh and that also includes a set of Scorpion pedestal mount roller rockers.

Show me which aftermarket head is comparable? Hey, if you have the buck$ and the need to build something exotic, super high HP or have the bragging rights...then by all means spend your money on them. They are all great heads I'm sure. But they are not for me, not now at least.

As for being more prone to detonation...than what? A wedge head? Um. No. Sorry. Wrong. Yes, I understand quench, squish etc. If you build your motor CORRECTLY and apply not only common sense, but don't get greedy in your expectations then you are fine. Yes, it is harder to get higher compression ratios with these heads. Big whoop. Again, common sense in your building and not getting greedy. Look to gain that 5% HP lost per compression ratio point by going with a roller rocker set up, or some other sensible mod. If you HAVE to eek out every last pony, then look to another head. I've said it before, this isn't a race motor. Just a solid work horse.

\rant

Ok, on with the technical. I don't remember where I downloaded this cross section of the exhaust port, but thanks and praise/credit be to them. Looking at the cross section of the exhaust port you see a hump in the port roof, just to the left of the valve guide. In the picture it looks like someone marked out where they planned to do work on another set. They are taking the hump out and laying back that wall quite a lot. They are looking to remove way more than me. But I am going to remove that hump, blend the pocket's machined bore into the cast port, shape the valve guide boss' and polish the whole port. I'm not looking to reshape the ports, ramps or anything. Just good sensible clean up work.



Below we see the exhaust port and bowl in stock form.





Next we see the beginning of my work. I decided that I would complete one port before doing them all so that I am familiar with it. This will be the most porting I have done. Mostly I have just port matched in the past.





These are the most current pics I have. The port is not done yet, other things had to be dealt with so work halted. But it's getting there. Note that I went at it with reckless abandon....the seats are all being replaced so care was not taken to protect them.




Again, that port is not finished yet. A little work here and there then I’ll finish it out.

And a shot of the tools of destruction...

[F100builder]

Great work so far...waiting for more!

I've been gathering materials (not so much parts) for a little while now to begin work on my 'new' '70. I have some Rust Bullet for the frame, miles of long board sand paper, and 2 gallons of primer standing by. I've got to finish up a 390 build (C6 already done) and save up for my paint and hopefully will be joining everyone very soon. I love viewing these project threads for motivation, ideas, and comradery!

Keep up the great work!

[Heirloom]

Great work so far...waiting for more!

I've been gathering materials (not so much parts) for a little while now to begin work on my 'new' '70. I have some Rust Bullet for the frame, miles of long board sand paper, and 2 gallons of primer standing by. I've got to finish up a 390 build (C6 already done) and save up for my paint and hopefully will be joining everyone very soon. I love viewing these project threads for motivation, ideas, and comradery!

Keep up the great work!

Thank You F100builder! I look forward to following your new 70 when it gets under way

[pincheweddo]

Not sure what your background with Holly's is, but this book is a big help...

http://www.amazon.com/Holly-Carburetor- ... 0895860473

[Heirloom]

Not sure what your background with Holly's is, but this book is a big help...

http://www.amazon.com/Holly-Carburetor- ... 0895860473

Thanks! It is a good book

[Heirloom]

I took my heads into the machine shop today. I delivered them with new springs, keepers, locks and seals....oh yeah, and new stainless steel valves. Arce Engines is cutting the new Intake valves down from their current 2.19 diameter to 2.08 and back cutting them at 30*. The exhausts will be 1.71. New iron guides and all new hardened seats, and surface them .020". Both the valves and the springs came from Alex's Parts. I bought the springs as a kit with retainers and single groove 10* locks. It was a smoking deal. So were the SS valves. Alex's has great prices, fast shipping and great service.

Aaaannnnd the man in The Brown Truck brought me something from Sparks, NV today. Thought I would throw out a few pics.



















I know, I know. I said it was a budget build. But the stock rockers I had were beat pretty bad. Looking at buying stamped replacements led me to comparing prices to rollers. At something like $150 for new stock style stamped rockers vs $250 for these bad boys? It was almost a no brainer, but I thought about it for a while. Freeing up HP and helping longevity of the top end as a whole was worth the extra $100. I opted for the pedestal mount/bolt on style rather than the stud mount. More machine work for the stud mounts cost more money, and the benefit of stud mount will not be needed in this motor. Plus they sent 4...yes....4 stickers. At 10HP each this was a worthy investment

They might be the nicest engine parts I've ever owned. Almost brings a tear to my eye.... I might sleep with one tonight.....

Today, among other things, I also built my carb.

Now if you'll pardon me, I need to shower and scrub the Ford Dark Blue engine enamel off my hands.....

[sargentrs]

Great work! Can't wait to see more.